356 Winchester

[FOTIS]

Hi guys!
I am shopping around for a 94 356 Win. I am considering several deals but will definitely buy one and I am buying all the handloading supplies. Anyway, what are you favorite loads in this caliber?
Bullets, powders, velocity Accuracy etc.... Thanks!

[BenT]

I see your looking at the one in the classifieds . If the gun is clean with all the stuff that comes with it . It's a good price.

I got alot of factory 200gr ammo with my gun when I bought it , so I'm just starting to get around to testing some loads.

My hunting load with 180gr fp speer 42gr of H4198 at 2580fps . Extreme spread was 23fps and grouped at one in. at 50 yards.

I tired RL7 but it didn't shoot that tight of groups. But for some reason I didn't write down the load in my data book.

I believe the factory 200gr clocked right at 2400fps.

It's one of my favorite deer rifles. It has a lot of knock down in a small package.

[TedH]

My Marlin 356 likes the Speer 220 with AA2015.

[FOTIS]

I see your looking at the one in the classifieds . If the gun is clean with all the stuff that comes with it . It's a good price..

True.. I'm just trying to decide between 4 of them I got e-mailed on..... Thank you

[Old Time Hunter]

By the way Fotis, WELCOME TO THE CAMP!

[C. Cash]

For Cast I use Montana Bullet Works RCBS 200 Gr. FNGC over 41.0 gr. H4895 This is about 35 Rem. velocity.

If I do my part, I am getting about .75" at 50 yrds., reciever sighted, and the rifle is no doubt being limited by operator error.

Also have had good luck with Beartooth 210 gr. FNGC with 42.0 gr. IMR 4320. IMR 4350 is accurate with the RCBS bullet but you will get unburned powder(no big deal).

Also for cast, stay away from WFN designs. They are appealing because of the larger meplat(nose), but they have to be deep seated because there is little throat in the BB 94 Win. They are single hand load propositions because they will not feed at all from the tube when deep seated. . If you want the widest meplat on a cast bullet, the Beartooth 210 is the best compromise and it feeds fine and produces fine accuracy.

For Jacketed bullets I would try the Speer 220 gr. I have shot only factory Jacketed 200's and 250's which produce average accuracy.....about 1.5" at 50 yards.

It is a great round/rifle.....one of the best ever in my book. Handloading makes it much more accurate and versatile.

[O.S.O.K.]

If the 94 doesn't work out, you can always get a 336 in 35 Rem and have it rechambered for 356 by a good smith like Nonneman. He charged me $150 for the job. $300 for a used rifle plus $150 - $450. Probably less than the 94?

Here's mine:

[FOTIS]

By the way Fotis, WELCOME TO THE CAMP!

Thank you Sir!

I decided to use my real name for once instead of POP like the rest of the forums.....

[FOTIS]

If the 94 doesn't work out, you can always get a 336 in 35 Rem and have it rechambered for 356 by a good smith like Nonneman. He charged me $150 for the job. $300 for a used rifle plus $150 - $450. Probably less than the 94?

Here's mine:

Way less than the 94!

[C. Cash]

Pardon my manners....Welcome FOTIS!
OSOK.......if you have time, give us a range report on your Marlin. What loads are you using? Accuracy?

[6pt-sika]

I've got a pair of Marlin 336ER's !

My nicer one is for jacketed bullets only and so far all I've shot in it are old 200 grain factory loads ! Although last year I picked up 2 boxes of old factory 250 grain bullets that I plan on trying in that rifle at some point !

The factory 200 grainers knocked the fire out of a nice sized 4 point whitetail on opening day of 2006 Virginia rifle season !


In my #2 Marlin 336ER I shoot the Ranch Dog 359-180GC bullet and the Ranch Dog 359-190GC bullet . Both these bullets shoot great in my rifle and I load both bullets with XMP5744 . Matter of fact I've even killed a deer with the Ranch Dog 359-180GC bullet !


I do have bullets on hand to load for the jacketed bullet rifle . It is my intention to try the Speer 180 and 220 grain bullets in the rifle at some point .

[O.S.O.K.]

C. Cash - nice Winchester! I think the 94's look better to the eye than the Marlins - at least the 336's.

I had a 94 Big Bore .356 and sold it while unemployed - at least this was after Winchester stopped making 94's and such and the prices were up... it was a nice rifle but I have to say that I like the way my Marlin recoils (stock design) less. That Winchester really came back good. They weigh about the same, so its not that - has to be the straight stock vs the pg with more drop - which is kinda weird as the more drop usually is perceived as kicking more.... I had the stock pad on the
Winchester too... and it also had an XS sight.

My favorite load is Speer 220 grain fn's over 49.5 grains of W748 for almost exactly 2300 +/- 20 fps - chronographed. My current rifle shoots about the same as my old BB Win - 3" groups at 100 yards.

I think it will do better as the last time I put this on paper, the front sight was too low and I had to hold low to get it to print on the bull - not the best for accuracy. It now has a higher sight that matches up with the XS sight well and I need to go test it some more.

I also have loads using the 200 grain Remington Core Loct at 2450 fps and 250 grain Hawk flat points at 2100 fps. I haven't tried the 250's but the 200's shoot about like the 220's - only they print a little higher on the paper (of course).

[C. Cash]

Thanks OSOK! Nice Marlin as well. I am going to get a 35 Rem./Marlin for my son at some point so we can share bullets/molds. I like this caliber alot. The Winchester stock design will sure wack you hard, especially from the bench. Easy to get into bad habits from the bench with the 356....off it or sitting up properly, it is a real easy caliber to shoot.